A Saving Angel
by Sapphire Dawn
Summary: A Sequel to Camilla
1. Prolouge

The sun was just setting as Camilla sat in the rocking chair that rested to the left of the front door. While her house wasn't that big compared to the house she grew up in, it still felt huge now that she was living alone. Her children had all grown up and moved out, and her husband had passed on a couple years back. Her oldest son had taken over the ranch, as Camilla's eyesight had started to fail a few months back. While he and his family took care of the ranch, they lived in a small cabin that first served as home to Camilla and her late husband, Kevin.

Sam rode up to the house on his horse. He wondered if he could get his mom to tell the story of how his grandparents met. It was like there was something his mother and father had not wanted to go into out of respect for his grandparents. Now and then he would catch his mother looking at a picture of a lady he had no clue who it was, or where his mother had even got it from...and she wasn't saying. Sam prayed and hoped that he could get some answers that had been bugging him since he first came across her looking at it some years back.

Camilla was resting her eyes when she heard a horse and knew by the whistle that it was her son, Sam. He had begged her to tell him about the lady in the picture that she now kept in her writing desk drawer. She knew she should tell him about the woman, but she remembered how much pain would show up in her father's eyes when Rachel-Marie was brought up. Her father regretted what he had done until he passed on. Oh, her stepmother respected it and never hung it over his head, it was her stepmother wished she could help ease the amount of regret her husband had. Part of it was regret on the choices he had made the other half was knowing she never got the chance to see Camilla grow up to the lady she had become.

"Hi, mom." Sam said as he tied his horse's reigns around a post in front of the house.

"Hello, son."

"Did you think on my question?"

"Yes, I did. I will tell you. What I am about to tell you is all I heard from my dad. While he knew her, I personally never knew her. She died around when I was six months old. Though you have to understand we didn't speak about it because it was something we wanted kept secret. We just didn't speak about it outside the four walls I grew up in, then we just stop talking about it all together by the time I found out I was going to have you. Looking back I realize we shouldn't have quit talking about her." Camilla stood up and motioned for her son to follow her.

Sam followed his mom into the house. His mind raced a thousand miles as he knew he was going to be getting an answer to his question he had asked. "Who was that lady in the picture?"


	2. Chapter 1

*******Some of this information is from the story my Camilla which is on this site. It is needed so I can continue the story of Nick and Camilla. This story focus on Nick and Camilla, though the other Barkleys are in it too.**

** A Saving Angel**

** Chapter 1**

Camilla sat down on her rocking chair after she grabbed the picture out of her writing desk. Once Sam sat down on the couch next to the rocking chair she handed the picture to him. "Her name was *Rachel-Marie Ballard Barkley. My father's first wife and my birth mother."

"What?!" Sam yelled as he couldn't believe his ears. "I thought Grandma Barkley was your mom."

"She was. You don't have to share the same blood in order to be a mom or a dad. Rachel-Marie was my mother; while Michelle was my mom." Camilla sighed as she gave Sam a look that said 'Don't raise your voice to me'. Starting to speak after Sam looked down with the look of a small boy being chewed out for doing something wrong, "I had asked my dad about my mother as I got older. I wanted to know her though she was no longer here. My dad told me everything he knew about her."

"My dad, Nick Barkley, met Rachel-Marie at a friend's wedding. Her parents had cared for her very little. They didn't see her as being useful at all because she was blind. He was once told that a person was surprised that they even allowed her to go to a blind school. The person also thought she would be lucky to ever get a beau. Most people saw her as too much of a liability to even deal with. To make the long story short, my Father and Rachael-Marie slipped up and she ended up expecting me. Dad had already left town when she realized she was carrying me. Rachel-Marie didn't tell dad either, because dad admitted to her he had a temper and she was afraid that he might be just like her own father. Rachael -Marie had been working on getting up enough courage to wire my dad when her dad had found out. Her father, from what dad was told, had a mean temper and she fled in terror."

Camilla stared out the window as she thought on her birth mother, while Sam waited patiently for his mom to finish telling the story. "A man named Father Robert had a visiting nun take her back to the abbey up in the Wyoming Territory. However, her health was not good towards the end of the trip and they didn't except her to live long after she had me. Before Rachael Marie died, one of the nuns took me to my Father's home shortly after she had me. Rachel-Marie lived long enough for my dad to find her and talk about them and what had happened. Dad brought her back to Stockton and married her in order to do right by her. She was buried a few months later. Dad said it was the least he could do for an angel he had known for such a short period of time, and one he should have taken better care of."

"Is that who's the grave you go to lay flowers on your birthday?" Sam asked.

"Yes, she is the reason I had my dad in my life. If she hadn't told the nuns where my dad lived, who knows where I would have ended up or with whom."

"So, when and how did Grandpa meet the woman I know as Grandma Barkley?"

Camilla chuckled and thought back on that day before she looked at her son. "Now, that is a much longer story."

"I have time." Sam smiled with determination in his eyes, causing his mom to chuckle. The Barkley stubbornness was alive and well in Nick Barkley's descendents.

"Okay, though what I am about to tell you is either what I've been told or what dad and I personally went through." Camilla leaned back in her chair, as she thought on all those years back on the day before and after Michelle had come into their lives.

~/~

_The moon was shining its light down on the small two room cabin Michelle had tried to make into a home for her family. Her husband had passed on a couple of years ago, and now she had run out of money to take care of her children. She was not going to move in with her husband relatives ever. They were untrustworthy and mean. She knew if she moved in with them, for the sake of having a place for her and her daughters, it would be full of pain and sorrow for them. Her daughters were a blessing to her and her late husband, James._

_ Michelle was packing what little she could afford to take and so were her daughters. She had sold the place to a couple that were looking to run a ranch in the area. The small family were coming tomorrow, and she wasn't planning on being here when they showed up. She even told them that she wasn't going to be there when they did come. After closing her bag she looked around; there were things she wished she could take with her, but she couldn't__._

_ Closing the bedroom door she was met with the sight of her daughters wanting to cry. She squatted in front of her daughters as she spoke, "I am sorry that we are having to do this. Hopefully, we can find a place where I can support us soon." Michelle hugged her daughters as their tears fell. They are too young to have to leave like they were doing now._

_ She stood up and led the way out to where the horses were waiting for, after grabbing some food they could eat on the trail. In her pocket was the only money she had...money from her selling the place. They would buy food to eat, in whichever town they passed through as long as the money held out; though, she was thankful James had taught her how to eat off the land if the case ever arose. After tying their bags on the horses, all three mounted as Michelle led the way down the road. With the moon shining its light like it was, she knew they would travel as far as they could before making camp._

_ Mariah and Hallie followed their momma down the road. Their eleven year old minds, couldn't grasp the severity situation they were now in. They missed their dad dearly and wished he was alive. The pain of missing him was still strong in their hearts._

_ Six hours later all three were tired, and Michelle knew they needed to stop to rest. She spotted a small clearing off to her right and motioned her daughters to follow. Dismounting her horse she helped Mariah down, while Hallie didn't wait for her mom to help her down. Michelle laid her daughters under their saddle blankets; they were asleep before their heads hit the ground. After another ten minutes Michelle stoked the fire and then was able to stretch out on the ground and get some sleep._

_ The sun had been up for a little while by the time Michelle opened her eyes. She immediately looked over to where Mariah and Hallie slept. Breathing a sigh of relief, she grabbed some jerky out of her bag and she went over to them and woke them up. Handing them the jerky she had them stand up to stretch as she saddled the horses once again. _

_It wasn't long before they were back out on the road heading south. Michelle didn't know where they were going to end up, but she knew anywhere had to be better without her husband's side of the family around. He was the only decent one in the bunch._

_ Michelle had never been afraid of hard work and had shocked more than a 'town folks' when she didn't hesitate to work beside her husband. However, this was not the way she thought her life would turn out...a widow with two growing daughters with no clue what to do. If someone asked her what her plan were, she would have laughed in their face. Fact was she didn't have a plan at all. Sighing, Michelle wished she had an idea of what to do; however, that was not the case. They could live off the jerky that they had and the food from the land for a little while, but even she knew that was not going to be able to last for long. Sending a prayer asking for help upwards all she could do was keep putting one foot in front of another._

_ Mariah and Hallie knew that right now was not a time to speak to their momma. All they could do was whisper to each other needing to hear each other and to give each other comfort. While they didn't know where they were heading, they had full faith in their mother and that she would take care of them._


	3. Chapter 2

A Saving Angel

Chapter 2

_**Flashback Continued... **_

_Camilla was awake before the sun was up. Quietly she got out of bed and got dressed. Grabbing stockings and her boots she silently made her way down and out of the house. Only her dad and the men that worked for him were getting up; most of her family was still sleeping. Once outside the house she sat down on the back porch and put on her socks and boots. Standing up she walked over to the barn to talk to her horse until the sun came up. _

_Uncle Jarrod and his family were in San Francisco for a month; her Uncle Gene was due home in the next few weeks with Aunt Pamela and their two children. Aunt Audra and Uncle Morgan had sent word, due to Aunt Audra's condition, they were not going to be able to make it to the family get together next month. It was time like this that Camilla found herself wanting a mother._

_As the sun began showing its face Camilla began to saddle her horse. She couldn't wait to have the wind in her face as she rode over her family's land. There was no doubt in her mind if she waited around Miss Laura, who had been around since she was three, or her Grandma would going to try to get her into one of those annoying dresses. If she wasn't going to church, a wedding, a funeral, or a birthday party, why should she be in a dress?_

_As she went around the bend she pushed all those thoughts out of her head. It was a beautiful morning and she didn't want it spoiled. Besides, once she was done riding there was the perfect tree she wanted to swing on. That is if she didn't get caught on her way. She mainly got caught by McCall and he always took her to her dad with a 'oh boy' smile on his face. Anytime she asked him why he was grinning like that, he only said that she would know in time; which always confused the heck out of her. _

_Camilla couldn't help but wonder if she was the reason her dad didn't remarry. Even as young as she was, she knew that the women in town still thought that her dad was considered a catch; whatever that meant. Shaking her head she started to look around her and the beautiful sight that greeted her eyes. _

_Camilla had been riding around for about ten minutes with no plans to head on back home quite yet. She came down to the creek and was met with a sight she hadn't excepted to see. There were three ladies in front of her. One was older than she was, while the other two she thought looked to be around her age._

**~/~**

_Michelle and her two children had ridden through the night. She knew the next town they came to they would have to stop and put down roots. They had been on the road long enough and felt confident that her late husband's family would no longer be looking for her. Just as that thought entered her mind her horse stumbled. _

_Michelle dismounted and began looking at her horse's feet. It didn't take long for her to realize what had happened. She wanted to scream; however, she knew it wouldn't do any good for her to do that. Looking at her daughters she said, "Dismount, we will lead our horses until we can find someone who can tell us where the closest town is." She added to herself '__**I don't know how I am going to afford this**__'. _

_It took them about a half an hour to reach a creek. Michelle and the girls had never been more thankful to see water. Hallie and Mariah started drinking as their mother kept an eye out. Without knowing where they were she didn't want to come face to face with an angry land owner._

_Michelle took a drink after her daughters had done drinking and when she stood up she found herself looking into the eyes of a young lady. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves as she asked, "How far is it to town, miss?"_

_It took Camilla a second to answer the lady in front of her. Not too many people around here called her miss, "Around thirty to fifty minutes on horseback, Ma'm."_

_Michelle sighed heavily that info meant that it was going to take twice as long; if not longer for them to get there. _

"_What is wrong with your horse?" Camilla noticed that it was favoring one of its legs. _

"_He threw a shoe. We have been walking for the last half an hour." _

"_Hmm, can you all make it another ten or fifteen minutes? My family's house is close and I am sure one of our hands can help you out."_

_Michelle smiled with relief as she told the little lady in front of her that they could make it there. _

_Camilla dismounted and took the reins in her hands. She walked her horse back to the house. The three people were following her and while she knew she could ride her horse back home, she knew that if she did she would want to race back to the house. These people didn't need that to happen. They looked so lost. Her conscience told her to help them. She somehow felt that really it was her guardian angel, she liked to think that the feelings that she often got was that of someone heavenly looking out for her. Her heart believed it was her mother, the one she had never known. _

_It took a little bit longer but as soon as the house came into sight Camilla turned to speak to the strangers and noticed their faces. _

"_What is it?" Camilla asked._

"_That's your house?" Michelle asked a bit stunned._

"_Well, actually me and my dad live with my grandma there. Uncle Heath and his wife, Aunt Alice with their three children are staying with us too, until their house is finished. But, yes that's my house. I am going to ride ahead and let them know you are coming. See ya in a bit." Camilla mounted her horse and rode off. _

_Michelle, Mariah, and Hallie continued to walk towards the mansion that the young lady called home. They all felt a little out of place when the size of the property; not just the house but the barns and corals and the large surrounding meadows and orchards.. Michelle hoped that her children would not touch anything. There was no way she would most likely be able to afford to replace anything. _

_After a little bit they all walked into the yard. Sure enough there was a man there that said he would take a look at Michelle's horse's foot. They were all sitting there on a bench when Camilla came running around bend as she headed to the barn. She stopped and looked at the group. _

"_I was rude to y'all earlier, sorry. My name is Camilla and I didn't get your names?"_

"_My name is Mrs. Michelle Hope and these are my daughters Mariah and Hallie."_

"_Mariah and Hallie, do you want to go swinging in a tree?"_

_Mariah shook her head no, while her tomboyish sister, Hallie, grinned and ran after Camilla to get some rope.. _

_An half an hour later a man, who Michelle guessed was in his early forties , came up to the barn. Nodding his head at the two ladies he looked at the blacksmith, who was finishing up on the horse. _

"_Randy, have you seen Camilla? Mother said that she took off once the dress was pulled out." 'What a time for Miss Laura to have taken off' Nick thought._

_Before the man could answer, Mariah said softly, "I know where she is, sir?"_

"_Where?" Nick asked his patience was wearing thin with his daughter._

"_She and my sister went swinging from a tree. I don't know which tree though." Mariah soft voice answered._

_Nick groaned as he put his hand on his face. "Thank you." Nick said then turned around to leave._

"_Sir?" Michelle spoke up. _

_Nick turned at looked at the woman who was speaking, "Yes, Ma'm?"_

"_I am coming with you, I also have to get my daughter."_

_Nick nodded and then with her in step went straight to the tree where he knew his daughter was going to be. He was not surprised to see her swinging in the tree. The two were at least five feet up in the air. Nick had asked her once how she got up there when she couldn't reach the branch and he had to shake his head when she simply said she used her horse to get the rope around the tree branch._

_Michelle about had heart failure when she saw how high her daughter and the girl she knew as Camilla swinging back and forth from a tree branch; a thin and flexible tree branch that looked as though it could easily snap. To make it even more hair raising was the fact that, Camilla was having the horse back up bringing them up and she would then let go of the reigns causing them to swing back and forth._

_Michelle looked over to the man next to her and asked as they ran over to the tree holding the girls, "Why isn't your daughter with her mother?"_

_Nick looked down at the ground with a look of sadness in his eyes, "Her mother died when she was around six months old."_

"_Oh, I am sorry." _

_Nick looked at the lady and gave her a small smile, "Thank you. It's okay, you didn't know." _

_They reached their daughters and Nick told his daughter to get down. _

_Camilla knew that look of her dad and knew better than to argue with him. She called for her horse and after helping Hallie onto the horse she got on behind her. Taking the rope off the branch she then jumped off her horse and stood in front of her father. _

"_It is no wonder I've got white in my hair." Nick said to no one in particular as he squatted in front of his daughter. "Camilla, what have I told you about this tree?"_

"_Not to swing in it."_

"_Then why do you keep doing it?" _

_Camilla got a "uh-duh" look on her face as she said, "It's the best tree to swing from; thats the bounciest tree in all the land," she declared in all seriousness._

_Michelle somehow kept herself from laughing especially when her daughter agreed with Camilla._ " Yes sir, it's the bounciest tree I've ever swingeded from."

_"The words is 'swung from, Hallie," corrected Michelle still trying to keep a straight face in front of the very authoritative looking and exasperated father. _

_Nick sighed as he shook his head, "Go inside to help you grandma. We WILL talk about this later," he tried to growl._

_Camilla knew better then argue with her dad on going inside the house. She looked over to Hallie and without any words spoken, they ran back to the house chasing each other._

_Nick and Michelle started back to the house. He looked over to the lady on his left and picked up the little twitch of a smirk on her lips. He had to admit, those two little girls might be a bundle of trouble, but they were as cute as buttons. But, he also noticed that the young woman looked tired and worn out. _

"_Ma'm, why don't you and your girls get breakfast with us before heading to wherever you are going?"_

"_Thank you. That is most generous. I'll take you up on that; we haven't had a decent meal since we left our home almost a week ago. You said it right though?"_

"_Uh?" Nick got the most confused look on his face, hoping he hadn't said something out of line with this lady. _

"_I am not sure where we are going. My husband died two years ago and with no means of taking care of Hallie and Mariah I had only two choices; move in with my in-laws or leave. So, we left the only home my girls knew a few days ago with no set plans other than to get far enough away from my husband's family." Michelle had no clue why she told the man next to her all of this. She didn't know him at all._

"_Hmm." It was all Nick could say. _

_They walked in silence the rest of the way back to the house and then he went back to his job, while she was escorted by Camilla into the house with her daughters to get something to eat. _


	4. Chapter 3

A Saving Angel

Chapter 3

_Randy shook his head as he took care of the horses that Miss Camilla brought him. They belonged to the lady and her children that Miss Camilla had come across in her ride this morning. A bad stone bruise on one of the horses meant that there was no chance of them riding out for at least a couple of days. He lead the horses away to a nearby stall and couldn't help but wonder what they were doing out here. _

_Michelle and her two daughters joined the man she found was called Nick Barkley and his family for breakfast. She was introduced to everyone there and Nick told her about the ones that weren't there. There was pleasant amount of peace around the family that Michelle hadn't felt in a long time. _

_Nick found himself wanting to stare at this little lady that Camilla had introduced as Michelle. She wasn't every tall yet she held an air around her that spoke loudly saying; 'I'll fight if I have to'. She demanded respect and he was going to give her it. He also wanted to know her plans, but he chewed himself out, saying whatever her plans were had nothing to do with him. Nick went back to breakfast as he tried to ignore the presence of the lady. _

_Randy walked towards the house thinking about how worn down those horses looked. Where in the world did they come from? Those horses needed some serious rest. He knocked on the door and waited for it to open._

_Nick heard the knocking and excused himself to answer it. When he opened it and he saw Randy he was taken back. He had told Randy a couple of times just knock twice and come on in. _

"_What is it, Randy?"_

"_That lady that came with her two daughters, their horses can't go anywhere for a couple of day. One has a bad stone bruise and they are all so worn down they need major rest."_

_Nick nodded his head and told Randy he would tell them. He went back to the dining room and sat down._

"_What is it, Nick?" Victoria asked. _

"_Mrs. Hope's horses can't go anywhere. They need a lot of rest." Nick spoke while looking straight at Mrs. Hope. _

_Michelle sighed, as she didn't know what she was going to do. Looking at Mr. Barkley she asked, "Where is the nearest town? Maybe there is something there I can do to earn some money." She didn't have a lot of money left. _

_Before Nick had a chance to answer Victoria said, "We could use some help around the house here; our regular housekeeper had to go to help out her family for a while."_

_Michelle smiled and accepted the job with sincere gratitude. After breakfast she went straight to work, while her daughters were kept company with Camilla and her grandmother. _

_That evening Nick was leaning against one of the pillars on their porch thinking on the events of the day. Camilla had brought home three strangers who were in need of help. Now they were staying here while their maid was gone. Mrs. Hope knew how to do her work and for the rest of the day he didn't have to worry about his daughter and what trouble she would get herself in; Mrs. Hope had managed to control and re-direct Camilla's level of energy._

_Nick chuckled at that last thought. It was not wonder she knew how to deal with Camilla as her own daughter was very much like that. Shaking his head, he wondered once again what Rachel-Marie would think about their daughter. He was raising his daughter the only way he knew how and he would be forever thankful that his family always had his back and was helping him out with her. _

_Michelle opened the study's door to the outside to get some fresh air. Her daughter Mariah was sitting next to Mrs. Barkley talking about the pattern on the blanket that was being quilted; while Hallie and Camilla was laughing about something. She needed to be able to clear her head as she stepped out onto the porch. _

_Nick had heard doors opened. On turning around he saw Mrs. Hope step out. Straightening up he cleared his throat and had to suppress a chuckle when she jumped._

_Michelle grinned as she spoke, "Didn't know you were out here, sir." _

"_Name is Nick, and I am sorry about making you jump." Nick replied._

"_Then my name is Michelle. Apology accepted. I had to come out here. I couldn't hear myself think." Michelle stayed in view of everyone in the study._

_Nick leaned back against the pillar before asking, "How long did you know your husband, Ma'm?" He still couldn't call her Michelle for she was Mrs. Hope to him. _

"_I meet him when I was fourteen and we married when I was sixteen. My mother thought I was too young to marry, but she knew I loved him and we would run off to get married if we had to. My dad honestly didn't know what to think about it. How about you and your wife?"_

"_Wish I could say the same, however my path was different. She was an angel that for a short period of time I got to hold. Camilla has asked questions about her and I do my best to answer them. Her grandfather on her mother's side wants nothing to do with her and his wife passed on. From what I hear, a couple years back. She never did ask about Camilla."_

"_Oh, I am sorry."_

"_That's okay. We do fine and we have my family who showers her with love." Nick straightened up and motioned for them to go back inside, "We best not stay out here too much longer." He wasn't about to hurt her reputation._

"_I'll be in shortly." Michelle said and she watched Nick go inside the house to his daughter's side. The pain about his late wife's family not wanting anything to with his daughter was clear in his eyes. A few minutes later she walked in and told her children it was time for bed. She wasn't surprised to hear Hallie ask to sleep in the same room as Camilla, however she was surprised when Mariah asked to do the same. Camilla seemed to be bringing Mariah out of her shell. _

_Michelle agreed and it wasn't long before everyone had headed off to bed. Tomorrow was going to come soon enough and there was going to be chores that would need to get done. _


	5. Chapter 4

A Saving Angel

Chapter 4

_It had been a month since Michelle had found herself along with her two daughters on the Barkley's ranch. Mariah was helping Mrs. Victoria Barkley with a quilt; while Hallie was with Camilla doing who knows what. As Michelle moped she prayed that whatever those two were up to that they would not get hurt. Mud, small cuts, and bruises she could deal with just not major injuries. _

_Nick was walking; actually more like stomping, up the stairs. He was mad at what one of the newer hired hands had said. Michelle was their temporary help and nothing more. Nick stopped as he asked himself when she stopped being Mrs. Hope in his thoughts. She had chewed him out when he kept calling her Mrs. Hope in person. Guess, saying Michelle enough out loud, it was now Michelle in his thoughts too. Nick opened the door and was about to step in when he was told to stop by Michelle. _

"_Stop, Nick. I am finishing up the moping and don't need to re-mop there." Michelle was about to say something else when she looked into Nick eyes and saw anger barely being kept under control. Taking a deep breath as she sat down on the steps she motioned him to come over. She would just have to redo it._

_Nick almost didn't go to the steps, but he felt hands on him pushing that way__, __so he went. _

"_What is it, Nick?"_

"_Nothing." Nick tried to lie to Michelle. She didn't need this latest problem, as she was trying to provide for her children. _

"_Nick, don't you dare lie to me. I can take it. Tell me what is going on." Michelle gave him a look that said, 'Don't hold back on me.' _

_Nick took a deep breath and then told her what the man had the nerve to say to him. "Bill said you were not only our temporary maid, but we were…." Nick stopped as he looked away._

_Michelle thought she knew what Nick was going to say, but she wanted maybe even needed to hear him say it. She gently put her hand on his arm as she spoke softly, "Nick, please tell me."_

_Nick debated with himself on telling her. He didn't want her reputation damaged. Finally the word please softly spoken made him speak, "He said we were lovers." The anger he was barely holding back could be heard in his voice. He wanted to go out and punch the man. Though, most likely, Nick would do more than just punch the hired hand in the face._

_Michelle sighed and thought on what to say to the man next to her. In the short time she was here she knew what kind of man Nick was. While, he was loud, stubborn, and had a temper when a person pushed him too far, he cared for his family dearly. He loved his daughter with his whole heart and she knew he didn't want to hurt any woman's reputation. _

"_Nick, there is nothing we can do to make Bill, or men like him see the truth. Men like him can't see that there is nothing going on between us. My daughter Hallie has found a friend in your daughter. Your mother is helping Mariah out with sewing and other things, even Camilla has gotten her to do a few things I never thought I would see her do. Will Mariah ever be an extravert,__no she won't and I am fine with that. Your family has helped us out in so many ways and for that y'all will forever have my thanks."_

_Nick listened to her and knew what she said was true. He found a question popping in his head 'Did he want something more between them?" Nick pushed the question out of his head as he stood up. _

"_Thank you." Nick left the house a lot calmer then he first came in. He still wanted to punch the man, but knew that it really wouldn't do any good except giving him satisfaction for defending Michelle's honor. _

_Michelle sighed and sent a prayer upwards to help Nick out in his time of need. As she went back to work she failed to notice a person standing at the top of the stairs; Victoria Barkley. _

_Victoria sighed, as she watched the scene below. She knew her son well enough to read his thoughts on his face, but she would have to question Michelle when she got the chance to see what she thought. _

_On the other side of the house Camilla and Hallie was racing their horses back and forth on a path in sight of the house. Both of them knew what would happen if they got caught, yet they didn't care. The wind was in their face and they were happy all cares were gone for awhile. _

_The two of them had formed a bond of friendship that not a whole lot of people would understand. While Camilla didn't know how long Hallie and her family would be around, Camilla was going to enjoy the time she had with Hallie._

_As the horses slowed down Camilla asked, "Has your momma decided where y'all are going to be going once you leave here?" _

"_No, she hasn't."_

_Leaving that topic Camilla grinned, "Want to go play in the best mud puddle around?"_

_Hallie nodded her head up and down real fast._

_Soon they were racing off to the mud puddle that Camilla had found a few months ago and more than once has caused her father to get the look on his face that he wanted to scream. Her father had let a few bad words out the times he has caught her coated in mud. None of that entered her mind as she showed Hallie the way to their destination. _


	6. Chapter 5

A Saving Angel

Chapter Five

Sam leaned back and looked back down at the picture Rachel-Marie Ballard Barkley. He couldn't help but wonder about her family. What kind of people would reject his mom or his grandpa Nick?

"Did your mother's side of her family ever try to contact you?"

"Her bother Rick did find me when I was close to being sixteen. He was dying from cancer; however, he wanted to see me. It seemed my mother's family had taken care of their father. Anytime they talked about trying to find me their dad threw a fit. After my biological grandfather passed away, and after my uncle found out he had cancer he found me."

"What was your uncle like?" Sam asked.

"Decent. He didn't know all of the story about Rachel-Marie and my dad getting together; however, he could see my dad was doing his best to raise me right. Uncle Rick and his wife had found out about me a year after your grandparents had married. They stayed for a week before they left. About a month after they left we got news his wife was with their first child and his health was declining. It wouldn't be but three weeks later that we got the news of his passing. According to a lot of people I look a lot like my mom and looking at that picture I'd have to agree."

"Finish the story, please?"

Camilla nodded and began the story once more.

_Nick was leaning forward in the saddle while his eyes were on the cattle his thoughts were on the last couple of days. He sighed; for the first time since Rachel-Marie he thought about seriously courting a lady. Michelle had moved to town once their regular help came back and was taking in laundry or sewing clothes for people so she could make ends meet. Although, Hallie and Mariah were often out at the ranch playing with Camilla. _

_Mariah was taught how to be a lady by his mom and, while every lady in town tried to teach his thirteen year old Camilla to be one, she had only one desire and that was to be very much a tomboy. _

_Straightening up Nick took a good look at the sky and yelled for the men to get the cattle to the pens. There was a storm coming and coming towards them fast. As they rode for cover Nick was trying to keep Michelle out of his head...which was starting to get real hard to do. _

_Once the cattle was safe, Nick and the men with him got into the cabin that Heath built there. And boy, Nick was glad it had built. Nick stood by the window looking out at the rain coming down and once again thought about his daughter. _

_Hank, a friend helping out, stood up and walked up next to Nick. He could tell his friend's mind was troubled again. Hank didn't say anything as he leaned against the wall. Listening to the rain hitting the roof his own mind turned back to the day Camilla showed up on the Barkley's ranch. No, he wasn't actually there; however, he remembered Nick telling him in a letter about it. _

_"What do you think about Mrs. Hope?" Nick asked._

_The confusion on Hank's face was clear as he asked, "Why?"_

_"Just answer the question, Hank."_

_"She is a good woman; her children are real good, and she is strong willed." Hank chuckled, "If I didn't know her, I would have thought she was a Barkley."_

_Nick nodded in agreement with Hank's answering._

_"Nick, why ask me that question?"_

_Nick looked down at his feet before looking back out the window. Taking a deep breath he answered Hank's question, "Remember me telling you about Camilla's mother."_

_"Yes."_

_"For the first time since Rachel's passing I am seriously thinking about courting a lady."_

_Hank smiled as he put his hand on Nick's shoulder before speaking, "It's a good thing, Nick. I think your late wife would approve of her."_

_"How do I..." The pain was in Nick eyes as Hank stopped Nick from finishing the question. _

_"Stop beating yourself up about the past. You made a mistake and you have done your best to fix it. You have an amazing daughter even if she does act like you." Hank spoke and, after giving Nick a look that said 'Go for it', he went back to where he had been before the conversion they had had. _

_Nick went back to staring out of the window thinking about what Hank said. It was far past time to stop beating himself up about his mistakes. He could only wonder what his daughter would think of what he was planning on doing; after all, he had to take her feelings into consideration too. _

_~/~ _

_Michelle sat on a couch looking into the fireplace. The day was done and, while the storm was starting to let loose, her daughters were sleeping soundly undisturbed by it. She could allow her body to relax. There were still people in this town that still believed the rumors that had been spread about her and Nick. It never ceased to amaze her that people judged her on rumors alone. Thank goodness for the ones that didn't._

_It never entered her mind she would come across a family like Barkleys. She never thought she would be around someone who had that kind of money. They had warmth she hadn't seen in her late husband's family. How her late husband turned out the way he did she will never know. Her mind turned to Camilla._

_Camilla was a tomboy, and Michelle knew it drove her father nearly crazy at times. It was only that afternoon she got to see that Camilla wasn't afraid to stand up for herself. She let her memory turn back to that afternoon._

_**The sun was beating down on Michelle as she headed to the school to pick up her daughters and Camilla. Camilla's Uncle Heath would be picking her up later that evening when he got finished with a job he needed to do.**_

_**As Michelle got closer to the school she heard the words 'Fight! Fight!' and those words got her feet moving fast. She didn't know if it was her daughters in the fight or someone else's child; nonetheless, the fight needed to be stopped. When she got there she was greeted with a sight she didn't think she would ever see. **_

_**Camilla threw another punch at the girl in front of her. She was steaming mad about what Sally Mae had said about her mother. She was about to throw another punch when she felt someone pull her back. As she fought the hands holding her, Camilla turned to yell at the child that was stopping her. When she saw it was Hallie's mother, Camilla stopped fighting and allowed Mrs. Hope walk her over to the school steps. **_

_**While the teacher talked to Mrs. Hope, Camilla, Hallie, and Mariah waited for Michelle to come and get them. **_

"_**Mrs. Hope, I am thankful for you stepping in to help break up that fight." Miss Jones spoke. "It isn't the first one Camilla has gotten into. I would have stopped it; however, I was trying to discipline another student that was in trouble."**_

"_**You mean this has happened before?"**_

"_**Yes, Camilla will defend her family's name to anyone who bad mouths it."**_

_**With those words ringing in her mind, Michelle took all three girls and headed back to her home. She didn't know what Camilla's dad would do or say once he found out about the fight. **_

_Michelle stood up and after taking one last look around the room she headed off to bed. Tomorrow would bring new things to deal with, and she needed her energy to keep up with Hallie and Camilla, who was coming over to the house after school so she could play with Hallie. Who knew what they would come up with to do._


	7. Chapter 6

A Saving Angel

Chapter 6

_Camilla sat on her bed looking at the wedding picture of her mother. Such a small looking lady yet the smile on her face seemed to light up the whole picture. Her dad was smiling too, Camilla sighed as she thought on her dad. Her dad didn't really smile anymore. Grandma Barkley said he would smile like that again when he forgave himself from his past mistake and allowed himself to love again. _

_Camilla put the picture back on the nightstand next to her bed and got off her bed. She walked to the window and stared out of it feeling the tears building up in her eyes. The words of Sally Mae said to her a couple of days ago kept ringing in her ears; suddenly turning around she grabbed her hat and ran out of her room. _

_Victoria was sitting on the couch talking to daughter in law, Alice, when she heard feet running. Turning around to see who it was, she saw and heard Camilla run out of the house. She stood up quickly to go to the door and once she reopened for the door she yelled for Camilla. However, Camilla was not listening to anyone at all. Victoria was at the bottom of the steps determined to have a talk to her granddaughter when she saw Camilla lead her horse out of the barn, mount, and ride off in a real hurry. If it wasn't for the fact that Victoria felt strongly that Camilla, for whatever reason, needed time to herself she would have gone after her. As it was, she went back inside to finish her talk with Alice, though she sent a prayer upward concerning her granddaughter. _

_Camilla rode with the wind in her face as the tears fell. It wasn't her fault her mother didn't live long after she was born. After some minutes, Camilla stopped her horse on top of a hill. Dismounting her horse she took a few steps forward to the crest that overlooked open land as far as the eye could see; at least on one side. The other side she could see the house she called home. Sitting down, she pulled her legs close to her and she let the tears fall free. _

_As Camilla wiped her tears, she laid down onto her back and watched the clouds move across the sky. She thought on the conversion she had had with her father a few years back. _

_**"Your mother is an angel in heaven." Nick spoke was he leaned in the chair looking into the fire place. **_

_**"Will I ever have another momma?" Camilla asked as she sat at her father's feet and looked up into his face.**_

_**"Hopefully, you will. She will have to be an angel with patience to deal with us two." Nick said chuckling. **_

_**Camilla chuckled along with her dad. **_

_Now the question in her mind as she laid staring at the sky was "Would that ever happen? Would an angel ever come into their lives?" Pushing those questions in the back of her mind she turned to back to when her dad found out about her fight and their discussion._

_She knew she would be in more trouble with her father, as one of the consequences of that fight was her being restricted to the house for a week. Her latest escape was most likely to extend that sentence. _

_Camilla was lucky her father understood her reasons for fighting and knew how hard it was to control the famous Barkley temper._

_**"Well, young lady would you like to explain yourself," asked Nick as he took Camilla's desk chair, spun it around and straddled it. He dipped his head to try and looked her the eye with compassion, yet Camilla knew he expected the truth. **_

_**Sitting on the side her bed, Camilla dropped her head and picked at the lint on her quilt, "hmmmIpunchedSallyMaeinthenoseandmadehernosebleed. " She mumbled in one long sentence. **_

_**"Chin up and say that slowly again, please." He asked trying to sound firm, but finding his daughters manner so reminiscent of his own explanations when he too was in trouble for fighting. "You believe were right; don't you? So," he said, "stand by your convictions." **_

_**"Sally Mae said bad things about momma and you and...me. She was so nasty with her nose in the air like what she was saying was a judgment from God, so well...I punched her in the nose which she quickly dropped from the air and grabbed when it started bleeding."**_

_**"So you think that punching her was the right thing to do?" asked Nick. **_

_**'Well... it made me feel better," admitted Camilla. **_

_**"I can imagine," said Nick, knowing the truth of the matter, as he would have liked nothing better than to take Sally Mae over his knee. " But did that punch in the nose change Sally Mae's mind about what she thought. Did it undo her words, Camilla?" he asked wisely. **_

_**Camilla shook her head. "No, dad."**_

_**"Then it wasn't such an effective way to stand up for what you believe in." **_

_**"Guess not. I jus... just lost my temper is all." **_

_**"I know how that feels ,sweetheart. And in some ways I think I may sound like a hypocrite when I say that fighting isn't the answer..." **_

_**"What's a hypocrite?"**_

_**"It means me telling you not to fight, or you need to control your temper when I have been guilty of the very same thing on so many occasions." **_

_**"So I'm not in trouble then?" **_

_**"I didn't say that. Most of the time, especially when I was young there were consequences to the fights I got in to. We've talked about people being nasty with words before and how you should handle them. I don't think your friends would ever believe the hateful words that Sally Mae said. I also think that her teacher would not appreciate her saying hateful things to bully other children."**_

_**"You mean I should've fought her with words too, just like Uncle Jarrod, or told the teacher?" **_

_**"Yes. You are clever girl. You could have done both of those things." **_

_**"I will next time daddy. Thank you. Can I go now, I want to go riding before it gets dark?" Camilla got up and was about to leave. **_

_**"Not so fast, " her father said, and took her hand as she went past. He stood up and faced her, then sat back down on the chair and pulled her onto his lap. "We haven't talked about the consequences yet. Mrs. Hope had..." **_

_**"Michelle, " corrected Camilla. "She said I could call her Michelle if you don't mind, you can call her that to dad." **_

_**"I do mind. You will call her Mrs. Hope."**_

_**"What about you, dad? What are you going to call her?" **_

_**"We aren't talking about me at the moment," smirked Nick. Changing the subject must be another trait the child seemed to have picked up from him. "We are talking about punishment, little lady." **_

_**"Oh... what were the consequences when you got caught fighting dad?" **_

_**"Well, your grandmother was not impressed. She would have me confined to my room and write lines until my father came home." **_

_**"What would your daddy do?" asked Camilla as she picked on her father shirt buttons. **_

_**"He was not very happy with me either, and most of the time, I would find myself over his knee and end up with a sore bottom while I finished my lines. On top of that, I had extra chores around the ranch." Camilla shot her father a surprised look. **_

_**"Yes, that's right. when I was a little older, he actually took me out to the barn and..."**_

_**Camilla gasped; she'd heard of other kids been taken to the barn by their fathers for a real tanning. She hoped her grandfather wouldn't have been so harsh with her father. **_

_**Nick laughed, "It's not what you think. My father took both Jarrod and I to the Barn and taught us how to fight, fair and square. But, he insisted on it as only as a form of self defense. We were never to throw the first punch. It was a good lesson, and has kept me out of trouble most times." **_

_**"What about the times it didn't, dad?" **_

_**"Children and boys fighting is one thing Camilla, but men; well there were a few times I spent the night in jail for losing my temper and fighting." **_

_**"Oh no, dad. Would the sheriff put me in jail?"**_

_**"No, not a little girl. He'd expect your daddy to handle it though. So, for the next week, no riding and you are restricted to the house. You might like to think of some wise words to say to people like Sally Mae next time they say something nasty." **_

_**"A whole week dad, but I will be so bored," whined Camilla. **_

_**"It's a punishment, Sweetheart; you're not supposed to enjoy it." **_

_**Camilla sighed. "If it makes you feel better, believe me dad, I won't'." **_

_**Nick chuckled and kissed her head. "Good girl. and don't let anybody let you believe that your momma was a bad person. She was an angel and she left me with the most precious thing in the world; You." **_

_**Camilla looked up at her dad. "Maybe we could find another angel, dad?" **_

_**"Maybe, one day," said Nick and put Camilla back on her feet. "Now you are to stay in your room until supper." **_

_**"Okay," said Camilla, "Hey dad, maybe while I'm stuck in my room for a week, Uncle Jarrod can teach me to fight with them wise words." **_

_**"Well you can ask him at supper." said Nick, as he walked to the door. **_

_**"And Uncle Heath can teach me to fight with my fists," added Camilla. **_

_**It was all Nick could do just to roll his eyes and make no comment on her last sentence. **_

_**~/~**_

_Michelle was sitting on her front porch mending another dress Hallie had somehow gotten torn. Though she shouldn't be too shocked about it seeing how Hallie had found a great play mate in Camilla and in turn, it was that which caused the mending of Hallie's clothes to go up. _

_It was close to noon, and she knew she needed to go inside and get some food for her to eat. Since the school was closed for a couple of weeks, her daughters were once again out at the Barkleys. She was tying off the thread, and was about to cut it when she noticed Nick walking towards her house. _

_Putting the cloth on the table next to her chair, she met him by her gate. He looked so concerned that her thoughts admittedly went to her daughters. Then once she really looked at his face, she realized he looked more nervous than anything. That made her curiosity pop up and take notice._

_With every step Nick took to towards Michelle's house his courage was slipping away. He didn't tell anyone what he was going to town for though he suspected his mother__knew. As he watched her get up and walk to the gate he almost turned around and left; however, he was not going to back down. _

_"Hello, Nick. What can I help you with?" Michelle asked once Nick stopped outside of her gate._

_Nick took his hat off and turned it around nervously in his hands. If someone had asked him why he was so nervous, he would have chuckled. It had been a long time since he courted a woman. The last time he had taken a lady out was when Camilla was five years old. That night hadn't ended so well and he simply stopped going out; except when he and his brother went to the saloon on Saturday night. Only now, after Camilla's question when it came how he would address Mrs. Hope, he'd thought about it long and hard. Afterwards, he'd headed to town._

_"I was wondering if you and your girls would go to the town social this Friday with me and Camilla?" Nick asked hoping that she didn't hear his heart beating really fast. _

_Michelle smiled as she said, "We would love to go with you to the social." _

_Nick smiled and told her he would pick them up around six o'clock. Putting his hat back on he turned to leave through he took one last look at Michelle, before going to see Frank about getting some post to fix a section of the fence._

_Michelle watched Nick walk away and found herself excited to be going out again. She knew there had been men back in the town where she use to live that had wanted to court her; however, she never could say yes. It seemed natural to say yes to Nick wanting to court her. Going back to her seat and picking up her sewing from where she left off, and waited for her children to be brought back home. _


	8. Chapter 7 finial chapter

A Saving Angel

Chapter 7

_The night of the town social came and if you looked into the Hope's house you would be seeing three ladies getting ready to be picked up. Earlier in the day when Michelle was picking up some items from the mercantile. The owner's wife, Jane, started telling her that she shouldn't be going out with Nick. She would swear up and down to anyone who asked her that Mrs. Jane Olsen was only telling her that was because Nick wouldn't go out with her daughter, Allison._

_At that name Michelle shook her head. People knew that Allison was only after Nick's money and most of the town folks knew Nick didn't go for those kind of women. As for Allison's mother saying that over the time she had gotten to know the Barkleys, Michelle had heard about Camilla's mother from them and now in this moment she felt that perhaps Rachel-Marie would approve. _

_Nick and Camilla made their way to pick up Michelle and her daughters for the town social. Once people found out Nick was going there with a lady not from his family it would have them all talking. So, it was a quiet ride as each of them deep in their own thoughts. _

_The silence was broken by Camilla asking her dad a question. "Dad, do I look okay?"_

_Nick smiled at the question before answering, "You look lovely. Don't worry it. All of us are going to have fun."_

_Camilla looked at her father's face and saw him smiling. A smile she only recognized__in a family picture before he had met her mother. Maybe that saving angel they had hoped someday would come had finally arrived. A short time later Nick and Camilla stopped the buggy in front of Michelle's house. _

_Mariah and Hallie were all ready for the social while their mom was finishing to get ready. They both had to chuckle when they saw their mother starting to get nervous when the time drew closer for Mr. Barkley and Camilla to arrive. They kept an eye out the window waiting for them._

_Just when they began to think that maybe they were not coming, they spotted the buggy coming towards them. Hallie without waiting to see what her sister was going to do she ran to her mother's bedroom the whole time yelling, "THEY"RE HERE! THEY"RE HERE!" _

_Michelle who had been sitting on her bed looking at herself in the mirror, jumped when she heard Hallie yelling. She had been trying to calm her nerves which turned out was nearly impossible. Standing up she ran her palms down the side of her dress and as calmly as she could she exited her bedroom. Taking Hallie's hand in her left hand she walked into the front room. _

_"Come on, Mariah, let's go." Michelle said. _

_Mariah went to her mom's side and followed her mom and sister out of the door._

_Nick just stepped down from the buggy as he heard "THEY"RE HERE!" and had to chuckle as he knew it was Hallie's voice. He walked up to the gate, and was walking to the steps when Michelle, Hallie, and Mariah walked out of the house. The sight took his breath away. _

_Suddenly Nick found his mouth dried as he spoke, "Hello."_

_Michelle led her children down the steps and answered softly, "Hello."_

_It was quiet, as Nick and Michelle stared at each other until Camilla yelled, "Come on, if we don't leave now we're gonna be late!"_

_Nick chuckled, as he held his hand out for Michelle to put her hand in his. As she gently put her hand in his and as they walked in silence to the buggy she found that her butterflies had started to disappear._

_Hallie was the first one up and into the back seat where Camilla had moved to and Mariah was not far behind. Nick helped Michelle up after she had scooted over he got up and sat down back down where he had been sitting. Taking the reins back into his hand, he started the buggy towards where the town social was being held. Knowing his and Camilla's life was changed forever._

_**~/~**_

"I was right about my dad extending my grounding. I was made to stay inside the house, except for school, for close to another full week. It wasn't the first time nor was it the last time I was grounded to the house. He was also right about our lives changing forever." Camilla leaned back in her chair. "We all had fun at that night. Mariah, Hallie, and I all hung out; talking and laughing about things. It didn't escape our eyes or anyone else's for that matter, how close my dad and their mom was getting. My dad would court Michelle for about six months before asking her to be his wife. They were married a little over a month after that."

Sam looked back down at the picture of his mom's birth mother and he looked back at up and his mom. Standing up he went over to his mom and hugged her and whispered, "Love you mom and thank you."

After chatting for a few minutes, Sam headed back home to his own family. He knew his mother health was not what it used to be and knew in his heart his mother would be leaving them soon to join his dad. There had been times he would hear a person saying, _"There goes Kevin and he is being a very stubborn man about something."_ There were times his dad refused to go to the doctor for a cold.

He thoughts turned on his sister, Marie, he now knew where his mom got that name, and he could see a little bit of Rachel-Marie in her now that he really looked into her face. Rachel-Marie would have enjoyed seeing Nick did well with their daughter.

A few months later they laid Camilla to rest beside her beloved Kevin. Her whole family gathered together and said their goodbyes. The day his mom had finished her story he had gone home and written it down. So anytime they wanted to know her story they could read it and Rachel-Marie would never be forgotten. He was determined that his children would know what he knew about her.

As Sam left the cemetery with his siblings to go to celebration of Camilla's life he looked up to the sky and whispered with a smile, "Thank you so much for giving everyone your love, mom. Keep dad company as you two watch over us like I know you and dad will do."


End file.
